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2025-03-14 15:46:26 -04:00
# The `whatis` command
The `whatis` command is used to display one-line manual page descriptions for commands.
It can be used to get a basic understanding of what a (unknown) command is used for.
### Examples of uses:
1. To display what `ls` is used for:
```
whatis ls
```
2. To display the use of all commands which start with `make`, execute the following:
```
whatis -w make*
```
### Syntax:
```
whatis [-OPTION] [KEYWORD]
```
### Additional Flags and their Functionalities:
|**Short Flag** |**Long Flag** |**Description** |
|:---|:---|:---|
|`-d`|`--debug`|Show debugging messages|
|`-r`|`--regex`|Interpret each keyword as a regex|
|`-w`|`--wildcard`|The keyword(s) contain wildcards|